The outward appearance of a portable computing device, including its design and its heft, is important to a user of the portable computing device, as the outward appearance contributes to the overall impression that the user has of the portable computing device. At the same time, the assembly of the portable computing device is also important to the user, as a durable assembly will help extend the overall life of the portable computing device and will increase its value to the user.
One design challenge associated with the manufacture of portable computing devices is the design of the outer enclosures used to house the various internal components. This design challenge generally arises from a number of conflicting design goals that include the desirability of making the outer enclosure or housing lighter and thinner, and of including as many electrical components inside the outer enclosure as possible, among other possible goals. Conventionally designed portable computing devices generally include at least one audio jack directly attached to the portable computing device's main logic board. The audio jack generally enables low voltage connections between audio components. Unfortunately, such a configuration has a number of disadvantages. First, placement on the main logic board requires the main logic board be positioned proximate to one side of the portable computing device to allow the audio jack to line up with an opening in the portable computing device's housing. This positioning restriction can make arrangement of internal components more difficult for computing device designers and may result in a reduction in layout efficiency. Second, repeated insertion and removal of headphone or microphone connectors can put stress on the main logic board, in some cases causing damage to the main logic board and in other cases loosening of electrical connections between the audio jack and main logic board eventually resulting in audio jack failure. Finally, repair and replacement of an audio jack component is more difficult when attached directly to the main logic board. Removal can results in short circuits or damage to nearby electronic components, sometimes resulting in a costly and time consuming replacement of the entire main logic board.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide an improved audio jack assembly.